Mojave Rose
by OnyxCrimsonBlur
Summary: She had always admired him, now she could act on it.


_**This is a huge experiment. Honestly, I'm still working my way through Fallout: New Vegas and I have to say that I've been enjoying it. I'm going through the House storyline at the moment but I had to take a break from it because there is so much to do. There are so many other branching quests that are a part of it and I actually wanted to give it the time it deserved. I didn't want to treat it like Fallout 3 in the fact that I breezed through it fairly quickly.**_

_**Anyway, I like House's character. I really do. He decided to save Vegas, his home, and sacrifice a life outside to oversee Vegas from his perch. It's an interesting thing.**_

_**As for this experiment, that's basically what this is. I've noticed there really aren't a lot of stories on here with this pairing. I love unique dynamic relationships. I also took a bit of a creative liberty with it, which I won't spoil in the notes.**_

_**There may be some OOC moments as far as House is concerned, but I figured since Fallout does have some creative license about your own adventures it might fit in here. I did try to make it feel like an exercise, but I still hope it's enjoyable.**_

_**Anyway, I had quite a bit of fun writing it and I guess that's what really matters. It was an attempt to help with writers' block for my other stories.**_

_**Crossposted at AO3.**_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Brown eyes scanned the drab walls of the suite in the Lucky 38, even with the slightly peeling wallpaper the place decidedly had its charms. Violet couldn't bring herself to regret her choices. Robert House had provided her with many creature comforts from the pre-war era. Comforts that most others wish they had. With a sigh, she stood up and walked towards the bathroom. Being out in the heat of the Mojave didn't do her body any favors. The desert was cruel before it was kind, if it was kind at all. Her skin was sore from the dry heat, and a tad red from the sun. She started the water and plugged the large claw-foot tub before stripping off her clothes.

It's not like anybody else lived here. The only others were the securitrons that roamed the hallways. Boone had decided to live elsewhere, not that she could really blame him. He didn't owe her anything else, and she had decided long ago that this is where she belonged. Not to mention that the way she handled things with Caesar left a lot to be desired. If she wanted things to go her way and continue to do House's work then Boone couldn't accompany her on those missions. It was just as well.

Violet thought of House, he had a bunch of knowledge lost to the war. She grumbled under her breath about the pompous idiots who decided to pick up guns rather than books. Sure, she knew that a lot of the terminals were wiped clean and books were a very rare commodity, but still there had to be other people out there who she could pick the brains of. Not everyone had to be turned to mush. With a sigh, she sunk into the hot water and eased the taps off. There was one creature comfort she was really wanting right now, but the one person she wanted to share it with was a man on a screen. He kept saying how he was flesh and blood, but it was a bit hard to believe with how old he really was.

She'd never seen House in person and she doubted she ever would. What 261-year-old man would be walking around? He had said when they met he had done some costly measures to extend his life, probably not much walking around to be had then. Violet sunk deeper into the steamy depths and started to cleanse herself as she took solace in the fact that she wouldn't have to brave the heat for a little while. Perhaps it would be a long time and her 'boss' wouldn't send her out on any missions any time soon. It was a soothing thought as she relaxed her aching muscles. Arguing with people and running from the many creatures of the wastes had lost its appeal.

Xxxxx

"It's time for dinner, ma'am." The jolly cowboy drawl of Victor called from the other room and Violet shot up from her position in the tub. With a groan, she realized that she'd fallen asleep and the water had gone cold.

"I'll be there in a minute."

"You'll be dining in the penthouse. Boss said he has something interesting to show you."

"Very well." It seemed that House might have a mission for her after all. Just when she thought that she'd be able to heal her sunburns in the peace of her suite. No matter, he did give her a place to stay and she wanted for nothing. The least she could do was run his errands for him. With a shrug, she dried herself off and put on one of the suits she'd found in one of the many wardrobes available to her. He hated when she dressed like a businessman, but she despised the formal wear he really wanted her to slip into. Not to mention that dressing in evening gowns from older eras didn't really mix well when dealing with casino business. They wouldn't take her seriously in those clothes.

She rode the elevator up and walked passed the huge monitor only to see it say, "Signal Lost." Normally his larger than life image would be plastered to the screen to greet her when he'd asked for her personally. Violet didn't really think much of it, though. Maybe he was doing some calculations in his head and didn't even think to bother with her. He did that a lot, especially in the last few weeks. Running his variables and deciding what his next steps would be in the years to come. He had such grand plans he wanted to put into motion, it was what intrigued her in the first place to side with him. So far the NCR was quiet, the treaty holding strong, and Caesar's legion hadn't made a peep since the battle of the Hoover Dam. It was a solid victory, one that she was grateful for.

She sat at the table seeing that it was set for two. Here she raised an eyebrow since there was no way Robert House would be dining with her. He never did. His visage usually was on one of the many securitrons in his employ and it rolled around the room speaking to her and showing her various calculations over dinner. They had heated debates on which upgrades he would need, and how to get people to agree to work with him. He was blunt, and she explained once that being a businessman was one thing but people in the wastes often didn't speak or respond to what he was offering. Most of them didn't know any better. It wasn't an insult, but a fact.

Smooth jazz filled the dining room and she leaned back in the chair to see a couple of securitrons entering the spacious area and place silver trays on each side of the table covered by a domed lid. This must be a special occasion if he's even going to have a tray for himself. Normally, the tray would sit untouched and she would have a meal later in the evening if she were hungry. Sometimes Violet supposed he set the table for himself just to make it seem less awkward. Truth be told, it just made the situation much more glaring that she was dining with a robot instead of a man. Just as she was about to pull the lid off of her food the sound of shoes hitting the floor greeted her ears, her body suddenly on high alert.

All of her weapons were in her room. Coming to the suite was the safest place in the building, it didn't occur to her to bring protection here. All she had to defend herself was the cutlery on the table. What was going on? None of the securitrons were on alert. Were they broken? Had House been hacked? Violet grabbed the knife and stood slowly, her body slinking easily to the corner of the room and hiding while she waited for the intruder to show themselves. Who had snuck into the Lucky 38 without any of them knowing? Who was stupid enough to do so? Where was the booming voice of her smug boss saying how impressed he was with how the intruder had made it this far unnoticed?

"Come now, Violet. Surely you don't mean to attack your employer?" That voice. Brown eyes widened as she stood up from her hiding spot to see a very dapperly dressed Robert House standing at the foot of the stairs by the far wall. The knife slipped from her hand and hit the carpeted floor with a soft thud. The sound echoed in her ears as she watched the man she'd only seen in her dreams elegantly glide towards the dining table with that smug look on his face. A face she had only seen from the various computer screens since she had come to the Lucky 38. How could this be? He couldn't be real. This had to be a mirage from her heat-baked mind. She pinched herself hard only to feel the acute pain and burn of abused nerve endings.

"Robert?" Violet rasped out, her mouth dryer than the desert outside.

"Yes, my dear." He smiled as he pulled out her chair. "Do close your mouth. Catching flies certainly doesn't become you."

Her jaw snapped shut as she took the seat he offered. Violet looked down at her lap as she heard the chair across from her scoot softly along the carpet before it creaked with his added weight. What was going on?

"I'll explain everything over dinner. It'll be wonderful to taste food again." His voice boomed with mirth as he opened their trays. A delicious cut of meat was centered in the middle of the plate covered with sauteed onions and sided with mashed potatoes topped with gravy. On the other side some type of hybridized vegetable that surely had a name that she couldn't think of at this moment.

"How?"

"Eat before it gets cold."

XXXXXxxxx

Violet held the glass of bourbon between loose fingers as she watched her employer run his fingers over the spines of various books in the study. Dinner had been a subdued affair and the jazz that played segued into classical piano as they adjourned into the other room. He had said he would explain, but he had yet to open his mouth on the matter. She ran her fingers through her short, black hair and let out a sigh. Her suit coat had been draped over the back of the chair she currently occupied as she watched her boss pour his own drink.

"Please, Robert, tell me what's going on." She finally broke the silence between them.

"Of course." He smiled before taking a seat across from her. The plush chair slightly puffing with the weight as he sunk into it. "I called in a favor to my old Alma Mater. CIT owed me one after everything I did back before the war. When I called them up and told them what I wanted, they were more than happy to oblige me. However, it took me several months to find them. They weren't an easy bunch to sniff out."

"CIT? You mean the Institute? I've heard about them. They're the founders of the Synth technology. I've heard that they're a bunch of radicals now."

"Hardly." He sniffed. "I don't agree with their methods or their ideals, but I do like their technological advances when it comes to cloning and Synth tech. Hence, this body."

"Did you hear about what they were doing in the Commonwealth?" Violet sighed as she sat back in her chair. "I mean, they've been taking people from what I understand."

"Yes, terrible business. Yet, it concerns me not. I don't wish to be the savior of the world, just the firm guide to New Vegas and continuing on with my plans. We had a deal. They gave me this as my favor, and I leave them be. I have no interest in what goes on with them, just as they have no interest in what goes on in the outside world." He shrugged. "It was a deal that benefited us both."

"You got a body and neither of you speak again?"

"Yes."

"Why did you want a body anyway?" The question hung in the air for a bit.

"I feel that sometimes deals with tribes and other factions requires a more human touch. Yes, you're my lieutenant and my human relations liaison to a fault, but I've heard the whispers that they want to meet me. Some won't show any respect to a man who hides behind computer screens and sits all mighty in his tower." House poured her another drink and then refilled his own glass. "I power this body remotely, It's just another facet of my extended reach."

"Another securitron?"

"Hardly." He scoffed. "I can do so much more and this body is a clone of myself, remotely controlled. It is everything I was in my own body. The only difference is that it's mostly machine parts. The DNA is my own. Since I never received a dose of radiation when the bombs fell and New Vegas remained outside of the influence, I have been unblemished. Luck was on my side to be untainted."

"How did you even accomplish such a feat without me knowing?"

"Remember when I sent you on that mission a few weeks ago? Well, their top scientist came and visited me in my chamber. I didn't trust him lightly, mind you, but we agreed to a sum of caps and here I am." House loosened his tie and sat back. "They have this teleportation technology. He was here and gone in a matter of hours. It only took about two days total for me to have a body. Once he left, I had a few of my securitrons help with the remote connection and then I ran the booting sequence myself."

"Chamber?" Violet felt her head spinning, this was so much to process.

"Yes. I am still confined in my chamber, but with this body, I can go places I never thought of going before. The range is also much more grandiose and I can influence more areas around the Mojave. I can check on my interests in person."

"Where does that leave me, then?"

"My dear, you're still needed. Don't you worry." He smiled. "Just because I'll be out and about doesn't mean that you won't still be useful. You'll accompany me, of course, and we still will have our educated debates. I said you'd always have a place here and I meant it."

"I see, but aren't you worried about the Institute's synth fail-safes?"

"No. It was one of the first things I looked for when I connected to the synth clone. I had expected that it was in the brain software. They left it absent. To say I was surprised was an understatement. I had always heard that they couldn't be trusted, but I believe since I paid them so substantially or the fact that they owed me had something to do with it." He shrugged. "In any case, we both are happy."

"Robert?" It was now or never.

"Yes?"

Violet gulped audibly, her fingers twitching around the glass in her hands. The cool surface grounded her slightly as she looked up at him before she placed it on the table beside her. Sure, this technically wasn't him but it seemed like it was as close as she would get to actually acting upon how she felt. With courage she didn't think she had, Violet stood up and moved over to the man she'd come to admire all this time. A man she never thought she'd have a chance to do this with. She carded her fingers through his dark hair and leaned down. Their lips met in a soft kiss, the warmth and heat everything and nothing like she expected. This body was a clone of his own, but also something mechanical. It surprised her how real it felt, how fleshy, how perfect.

A small gasp escaped her as he returned her kiss, his lips moving against her own as he pulled her into his lap. This was something she didn't expect at all. Not in her wildest dreams, or in her more tame ones. Violet half expected him to push her away, to chuckle at her and say how he was above such things. But, Robert clutched at her like a lifeline, his body warming hers as they sat in his air-conditioned study. It was over just as quickly as it began, their lips parting with a soft wet smack. Violet wondered what this meant for them now.

"Don't think about it too much." He whispered.

"Are you just humoring me?"

"No, I've wanted this. It's hard to deny that you intrigue me. Never in my 261 years have I felt this desire. I ran the numbers and ran them again. You and I were going to do great things, yes, but nothing could prepare me for the probability of our relationship success. It was a welcome shock."

"I find it hard to believe that no one has stimulated you before." Violet raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Yes, I had relationships in my past well before the war but all of them because of my status. Never did I have something real or tangible."

"Must've been a lonely life."

"It was. With my parents gone and then working on my own empire, I had little time to think about such things. I was too busy trying to regain control of the family business my brother swindled from me. Not to mention that founding RobCo and completing my calculations for the future of my home was of great importance as well." Robert hugged her closer. "You and I, we have something. Even before I started running my predictions and algorithms I admired your tenacity. Your ability to brave the desert, track down the man who left you for dead, and find your way to my front door. I knew then, as I know now, that there was something about you. It didn't matter to me that you were just a courier. There really was nothing 'just' about you. Soon you became more to me than just a means to an end. More to me than just the retriever of my property."

"How come you never mentioned this before now?"

"I had no reason to. Would you have wanted anything to do with me if there was no feasible way for us to actually have a relationship?" Robert placed her on her feet and moved to get up as well. "The calculations for that were extremely low. I predicted you'd leave before even considering it. How could I ever give you what you need if I had no physical means to do so? Surely you wouldn't want the cold steel fingers of the mechanical."

"Do you ever even think without numbers?" Violet sat back down in her own chair. "I get it, you're a very clever and intelligent man. Science and algorithms are what you do best, but human nature requires more than numbers. Had you have asked before, I would've found some way to make it work."

"Violet, there are things I do know after being alive for so long. Humanity, as base as it is, needs certain animal activities. Ones I'm loathe to admit I need as well."

"Yet you've been alone for so long."

"Out of need, not want. It mattered very little in the grand scheme of my plans whether or not I had those creature comforts every human wishes. The sacrifice to save Vegas was worth the calculated risk I took. As long as my basic needs were met, to hell with everything else."

"It's easy to say that in a box in a basement." She shrugged.

"Yes, quite easy indeed." Robert held out his hand and Violet placed hers within it. He pulled her up into his embrace and she felt a tad weak at the knees. This man, this intelligent, smug, strange, and interesting man made her feel safe and wanted. It would be a bit of a rocky road, she was sure, but it was worth the effort to make a stable New Vegas and possibly an even better future for the Mojave.

"Do you want to take this elsewhere?" She whispered in his ear.

"Are you quite certain?"

"I've waited long enough." Violet pulled him along towards the stairwell. "I've really been thinking about this for a long time."

"Very well, I'm curious to see what this body can do."

"I'm sure you are, for scientific reasons of course." She winked.

"Not just science, Violet." He chuckled softly.

"Show me then."

"That, my dear, will be my pleasure."


End file.
